Aberdeenshire Council removes Spaces for People measures in Turriff
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Spaces for People measures in Turriff were the first to be removed by Aberdeenshire Council this week.
Following discussions with Turriff Business Association and the Community Council, measures that were installed in the interests of public safety were removed by roads and landscaping staff on Thursday morning.
Throughout Aberdeenshire the measures have proved have elicited a mixed response from residents, with many members of the community who are at a higher risk or have mobility issues welcoming their instalment, while others, in particular in Ellon felt that they had a considerably negative effect on trade in the town centre due to the restrictions that the roads networks in older towns already impose on traffic.
Since they were first put in place, several meetings have taken place with community councils and representatives to adapt plans that could be found to work for everyone which led to modifications of layouts, improved signage and alterations to provided parking spaces.
At the meeting held on Tuesday evening, Turriff and District Community Council maintained the position that Spaces for People should be maintained along with the one-way system.
While not perfect in its current form the community council considered that it allowed the most vulnerable, mobility impaired and anxious members of our community extra space to make them feel safe.
Council officers confirmed that because of the layout of Turriff's main streets there were no options to keep parts of the measures and remove others leading to an all or nothing situation.
The only thing that could be maintained was the 20-mph speed limit and as a result the preferred option between all parties was for their removal.
Aberdeenshire Council has as yet to confirm the status of the Spaces for People set ups in other towns including Ellon and Inverurie which were also under review.
